Dugout Club Hoping To Light Up Evans' Baseball

November 24, 1985|By Max Branyon, Sentinel Correspondent

If Evans High baseball Coach Larry Swann has his way next season, no games will be called because of darkness. Swann, his baseball players and a special group of his boosters are hoping to light up the Trojan baseball program.

Although the Metro Conference baseball season is still a few months away, Swann and his ''Dugout Club,'' as Evans baseball boosters are called, have mounted a campaign to build lights at Evans High School's baseball field. Fund raising for the $20,000- project must be completed this month.

Swann is in only his second year at Evans. He assisted Mike Smith with a playoff team at Orlando Bishop Moore before joining the coaching staff at Evans.

Swann has enlisted support from members of the community to donate labor and funds to the lighting project.

''A project of this magnitude would cost at least $65,000, but we're going to pitch in and do most of the work ourselves,'' Swann said. ''It's a community project, if we get a well-lighted field, I believe the Pine Hills community will turn out in large numbers to see our athletes play -- just as they do now for football.''

Many of the baseball fans still are working at their jobs when the afternoon baseball games are being played, Swann said. He predicted that many would turn out to see the night games.

''Also, Swann said, ''we want to make it the best possible facility that we possibly can to honor Jim Gosnell former Evans baseball coach and athletic director for whom the field was named.''

One of the players Gosnell coached is Greg Pryor of the Kansas City Royals. ''We're proud of our baseball program here,'' Swann said. ''The Orange County School System can't afford to add lights to every baseball field in the county. We know that. Besides, we want to do it ourselves. That way the community will take more pride in the project.''

Swann is just as optimistic and enthusiastic about his baseball squad for this season as he is the November lighting project. Most of the players are returning from last season and all have shown marked improvement from last year.

Two of his senior standouts are twin brothers Jim and Steve Humphries, who will be playing their third year together in the Trojan lineup. Steve, a southpaw pitcher, plays first base and outfield. Jim, a catcher, doubles as a pitcher, but can cover the outfield or any base in the infield. He is one of the team's most versatile players.

Another senior Swann hopes will be healthy this spring is Greg Batten. Currently, Batten is recuperating from a broken hip, suffered at a baseball camp in Tallahassee last summer.

Senior outfielder Jeff Lamb will bat No. 3 in the order. He hit a healthy .350 last season. Swann believes Lamb and pitcher Jimmy Burg, another senior who hits the ball well, should lead the team in hitting.

Kevin LaBrecque has few peers last season as a base stealer. Last year as a junior, he led the conference with 36 stolen bases, according to Swann. ''I don't think anybody in the state stole as many bases as Kevin last year,'' Swann said.

''But the name of the game next season will be pitching,'' he said.

And that could be one of Swann's strengths. Roy Archer should complement Humphries. Others Swann said he is not afraid to utilize are John Edmond, a utility ballplayer who is just as much at home in the infield as in the outfield; and Pat Green, who could start at second base.

''We have several good junior and sophomore players who should be able to help us out next season,'' said Swann.

Players are secondary to Swann at the moment. His focus is on obtaining and installing the lights and raising the money to make that possible.

He figures, once that is done, it will be easy to get a good look at his players.